English As A First Language

by Kerry Thomas

May 21, 2003

The bureaucrats are taking over the English language.

In thre last 24 hours, as I write this, I have seen 3 glaring examples of bureaucrats who should know better just assault the English language, at least the language which most people use to communicate. Bureaucrats, and those who love them, speak a language unto themselves, a language they all know and understand, a language foreign to most of us. As another class of young adults prepares to enter the real world, they might do well to take a moment to understand this language, lest it be used to rob them of their futures.

First it was a young reporterette on a local television station reporting on how a proposed State budget bill would freeze next year's spending at our technical colleges at this year's levels, and how this freeze was a "cut" in spending of more than $1 million. I asked her, how can maintaining the same spending level be a cut? If you or I spent $100 on something this year, and we'll spend $100 on it next year, that's not a cut in our spending, is it?

The same can be said for all government spending of our money. We hear too many elected officials in Washington and Madison talking about a tax cut, and asking how to "pay" for it. To them, allowing you and me to keep more of our own money in our pockets (a tax cut) has to be "paid for," which means it's offset by some other increase in tax collections comming into the government coffers. You notice they never talk about actually reducing their spending levels of our money. Even a freeze in government spending levels from one year to the next is called a "cut" in the budget, since their "budget" had been projected to go up by a certain percentage every year. In times of economic recession, shouldn't our government be expected to tighten it's belt a notch or two like the rest of us?

Even the Dean of the School of Communications (ironic, isn't it?) at prestigious Marquette University preaches this blather. He's writing the state newspapers about a proposal to reduce the State's spending on tobacco prevention programs. To him I pose this question: How much does it cost to quit smoking? Now, before you answer, think about the question carefully. How much does it cost not to do something? Does it cost you anything not to buy a pack of cigarettes? Why is the State spending money to tell people not to spend money?

It's amazing the amount of our money our government spends on foolish programs in an attempt to change the lawful behaviors some of our fellow citizens freely choose to participate in. In the case of tobacco, our government on one hand uses our tax dollars to pay the farmers who grow the crop. They then tax the sales of the product, and use a portion of the tax revenues to fund tobacco-related health care and anti-smoking programs.

And if anyone believes the tobacco lawsuit monies were all going to fund health care costs, I have a bridge I'd like to sell you. Right, Governor Doyle?